At Any Cost (23 page)

"Not now, Turner." He fired into the crowd chasing her, dropping the first layer. Good thing his hands were preoccupied. If he so much as had a free finger, he'd want to touch her, make sure she didn't have a mark on her. "Did you get him?"

"No." JT fired and took out two more.

"Move it." He pushed her behind him. "There's a hole under the fence dead ahead. Slide under and keep going until you see the car. Get in and get down."

"But I can still take him!"

"Too late, Turner. Now move." She ran off toward the fence. Dan followed, every few seconds turning and firing, taking out another layer. But they just kept coming. How many men did Mercado have protecting him?

Dan made it to the hole and slid under. He noticed a piece of fabric with blood on it. Knowing it wasn't his, he growled. She couldn't even slide under a fence without hurting herself.

Racing toward the car, he almost collided with Snyder as he appeared from behind some trees. They both sprinted toward the car. Snyder didn't even pause when he spotted JT Turner behind the wheel, motioning for them to hurry up.

Dan jumped in the passenger seat, Snyder in the back.

"Haul ass!" Dan yelled.

"I'm hauling," JT sang, and he wanted to wring that defiant little neck of hers. His heart thudded in his ears as he drew in deep breaths.

What in the hell was she thinking go after Mercado on her own? She could have been killed. She could have gotten them all killed. God
damn
her and her need to prove herself.

She drove fast, but not fast enough. Dan saw lights behind them. SUVs. ATVs. And whatever else Mercado had at his beck and call.

And they were gaining on them.

"Move over, Turner. I'm taking the wheel." He grabbed the wheel and positioned himself to take over. She threw the seat back and rolled out of the way, while at the same time Dan jumped into the seat. The car jerked and swerved as he pulled on the steering wheel. Steadying the wheel, he brought the care back under control before they ended up wiping out.

He picked up the pace and the lights in his rearview mirror started to fade. "Fire off some cover, would you?"

"My pleasure." JT crawled over the back of her seat and landed ungracefully on top of Snyder. Dan watched in the mirror as Snyder helped her up. The way he touched her, smiled at her, made Dan tense. "Thanks," she offered.

"Any time," Snyder, too easy and too damned charming, replied. Dan clenched his teeth. "Hey, Weber? Flip that little purple toggle switch."

Dan did and the back window lowered down. "Nice option."

"Installed it with Pedro's help."

JT popped her head up and rested the UZI on the back dash. Firing behind them, she must have hit some of them. Lights visibly swerved, and one flipped into the air.

That's my girl
. Dan drove faster, narrowly missing trees and vines as he navigated the jungle. JT fired off another volley of shots, this time not aiming for anything in particular. The woman just liked to shoot.

"I think I got 'em all." JT slid back down into the seat.

"Think again." Dan spotted another set of lights as they crested the horizon. "Snyder, take 'em out."

"I can do it." JT glared up at Dan through the mirror. He glared back with equal fury.
Just wait, Turner. You think I'm pissed now, wait until we get back to the hotel
.

"Allow me." Snyder capped the driver of their tail. The lights slid off into the bushes and stopped.

"Very nice," JT offered.

"Thank you," Snyder replied with a nod. He sat back and gave JT a sideways glance. "You must be the lovely Miss Turner."

"I must be," JT replied. Dan looked behind them. No more lights. They were in the clear. "And you are?"

"David Snyder, NASSD." He offered his hand. When JT accepted it, he kissed her fingers. Dan jerked the wheel and knocked them off-balance. JT pulled her hand back to find purchase against the seat.

"I was doing fine until you two showed up."

"Obviously," Dan ground out.

"Let me guess," Snyder said after several seconds of intense silence. "Weber didn't tell you about this?"

"No," she said way too sweetly and forced a smile. He looked at her through the rearview mirror. She looked ready to jump over the seat and take him out with her bare hands. "He must have forgotten to mention it."

He didn't forget. He never intended to tell her. Dan kept his eyes forward and tried not to think about what could have happened had they not been there to save Turner's ass yet again. She could have been killed. Probably would have. Jesus, she went in unarmed. What in the hell was the matter with her?

Dan's rage almost choked him. He felt ready to explode. She didn't think. That was her problem. She just jumped in with both feet, like she always did, never once considering all her options.

"Did you get him?" Snyder asked JT.

"No," Dan choked out. Again his anger singed the corners of his control. He shook his head and muttered a round of his favorite curses. Twice.

"So now we are back to Plan A?" Snyder asked.

Dan swung his angry gaze over to her through the mirror. She'd botched the mission. Blew the fucking op. Damn it all to Hell! If he could, he'd throw her on the next plane out of Colombia and go after Mercado himself.

But HQ wanted it done their way. Hell and brimstone. He debated whether going against a direct order and sending her home anyway. Yes, it would be his final mission, because as soon as HQ found out Dan went with his own plan, his career would be over.

He could always go along with HQ's ridiculous plan. JT would go into the compound and work Mercado from the inside. Dan would work the mission with Snyder from the outside. It
could
work, Dan finally admitted, with a few minor modifications.

Besides, if he denied JT the chance to work on this mission by sending her home, she'd never cooperate. No doubt she'd find someway back into Colombia and blow another chance at Mercado. And Dan wouldn't be there to save her if he didn't know where she was. It was pure coincidence he was even there this time.

The only way to keep an eye on her was to keep her in the mission. Son-of-a-bitch. He didn't want her there, didn't want her going into Mercado's compound unarmed and alone.

But it was the only way.

She hadn't even gotten close before those idiot guards discovered her. JT thought her plan was brilliant, albeit a bit risky. It was easy to find a car. Someone had parked a small, rusted out compact halfway on the sidewalk. If she didn't help herself, it would have been towed anyway.

It was pure luck she found Miss Workout across the hall. JT had plenty of time to watch people walk up and down the hall while she waited for Dan to show. Miss Workout had gone out for a jog earlier in a nice pair of black spandex leggings. JT waited until she left her room dressed in a nice red dress before breaking in and
borrowing
the spandex.

She found a tight-fitting black turtleneck in Miss Workout's closet. It perfected her spy ensemble. Her boots were brown, but dark enough. After Dan left, she quickly wiggled into the outfit. The woman was a size smaller than JT, at least. She shifted to try and bring back some of the circulation into her legs.

"I know what you're going to say," JT mentioned as they left Snyder and stepped into the elevator. She couldn't wait to get out of the spandex, longed to have feeling back in her toes.

"No, you don't," Dan growled deep in the back of his throat. As soon as the doors closed, he turned and pinned her into the corner, awakening her body with both lust and fear.

His lips crushed down on hers. She widened her eyes as his tongue thrust deep into her mouth. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer, thrusting her tongue at him with an equal force of hunger. The way her heart tossed itself around in her chest made it hard for her to breathe. She pressed her breasts up against his chest, desperate to create pressure and friction against her already aching nipples.

She thought she couldn't feel anything below her waist. The way she started to tingle in preparation for his touch, she realized how wrong she'd been. His hand rested on her ass, pulling her closer. She felt the swell of his cock hard against her hip and she moaned.

Their kiss was urgent and exploratory. He tried to peel the spandex down. No luck. It would be both their salvation. "Are these painted on?" He pinched her backside and snapped the spandex against her skin.

That hurt. "If they were painted, I'd still be able to feel my toes."

He laughed hoarsely. "Jesus, JT." He rested his forehead against hers. "Have you completely lost your mind? What were you thinking going after Mercado alone like that?"

"Oh, I don't know," she bit back acidly, pushed him away so she could breathe again. "Following in your footsteps, maybe?"

"That's different." He eyed the rip in her spandex, spotted the new cut on her leg. Her shoulder hurt where the bullet had torn through her, but it hadn't opened up. No blood, thank God. "You could have been killed. You could have gotten us killed. You deliberately risked the mission and put us all in danger."

He held her gaze and JT felt tempted to poke those damned hypercritical eyes right out of his handsome head. "I went there to get a feel for the compound. That's all."

"Bullshit. You wanted to get to Mercado before I did. This isn't a competition. This is real. The guns are real. Quit thinking like a rookie." He turned and stared at the numbers on the elevator.

She waited for him to turn around. When he didn't, when all she could stare at was the back of his head, she lost it. Her breath coming in quick gasps in an attempt to hold her emotions in check, she bit back the fear attempting to surface.

She'd never been so scared in all her life. Those men had guns. Very big guns. She had... What? A really bad sense of judgment. A mentor who'd done nothing but point out her faults. The hots for a man who only slept with her to stay with their cover.

Everything compounded together, sending her control over the edge. "I
am
a rookie! Don't you get that? I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm screwing up left and right. I can't even make the right choices. I need you." God how she hated how pathetic and needy she sounded.

"Wrong." He turned back to her, the look in his eyes blazing a hole right into her heart. "You never needed me. You don't need anyone, JT. You make your own decisions regardless as to how they will affect others. Making the wrong choice can get you, and those around you, killed. You deliberately put this mission at risk."

"Don't lecture me on risking the mission when you were there doing exactly the same thing. Yes, I wanted to get at Mercado. But I wanted to do it
with
you. You know? Partners?"

"Then why did you go to the compound without me?"

"Because I knew that's where you went."

His jaw tightened as he shot her a glare. He didn't speak, instead just seemed to study her. The elevator dinged on the fifth floor and he grabbed her arm. "Let's go."

She jerked her arm away. The sharp pang in the muscles of her shoulder reminded her her wound hadn't gone anywhere. "I know the way." JT marched in front of Dan and slammed her little card into the door to unlock it. It didn't work. She slammed it again. Nothing. Her hand started to shake. No.
No
! Do not break down in front of him. It would just give him one more thing to use against her.

Dan ripped the card out of her hand and pushed her aside to use his own card. Furious, she pushed him back. "I can do it!"

The look he shot her conveyed the fury building deep inside him. Apparently she'd just pushed him too far. Literally. He stepped back toward her and JT lost her bravado. Without turning his eyes away, he slipped the card into the slot and opened the door, and motioned for her to enter.

Bastard. Making everything look so easy. Just who did he think he was? At least they had separate rooms. He'd go back to his. She'd get the chance to think of some reason to tell HQ why she didn't take Dan out after what happened. He'd jeopardized the mission. Her orders were very clear.

He slammed the door and JT whipped around. He stared at her, not an ounce of kindness in those dark eyes. Why was he staring at her like that? Just standing there? Why didn't he say something?

"Why don't you go to your own room?"

Silence. He crossed his arms and drummed his fingers on his biceps. She could almost hear his teeth grinding. Trembling, she drew in a sharp breath and put on her best act at nonchalance.

"Fine. Just stand there. I'm going to bed." She started walking toward the bed before she realized she was in his room and not her own. Great. No wonder her card wouldn't work in the door. She turned back to him.

Still silent. And still standing at the door.

She snapped, unable to stand the silence any longer. "What? Just say it and get it over with."

"What do you want me to say?" He kept his voice calm and even. Steady and low.

"Something. Anything!"

"You already know how I feel about what you did tonight."

"What
I
did?" Of all the arrogant things to say. How could she go from lo—lusting after the man to hating him all in a matter of a few minutes?

"Be pissed at me and get over it. I have things to do. I'd rather not have to stay in here and baby-sit you all night."

Her fists bunched at her sides. She swallowed hard and squared her shoulders as she looked at him. Desperate to say something as a witty comeback, she haughtily spat out, "Who's babysitting who?"

His expression stilled, hardened. His eyes cooled, an intense and frightening emotion clouding them over. He weighed her with a critical narrowing of his eyes. "He sent you to watch me?"

JT didn't answer. She didn't have to. The look in his eyes changed as they grew darker. And she could tell. He knew. Tears sprang to her eyes. Not out of fear, but of raw and heartfelt regret.

Instead of an inevitable blowup, he lowered his eyes and with them, her resolve. Shaking his head, he turned away from her. "Who better to spy on me than my own partner?"

At least he admitted she was his partner. "I wasn't spying."

He whipped back around. "The hell you weren't!"

Ah. The inevitable blowup had arrived. He took a few breaths to regroup, calm down. His face hadn't softened any, nor had his eyes stopped from shooting daggers at her through his lethal glare. "I think it best if you just go back to your room now."

Jesus God, what had she done? "But—"

He brought up his hand. Even though JT stood a full ten feet away, she still flinched. "Just. Go."

He looked at her, his eyes passing an emotion she couldn't quite read. Leaning against the wall, he ran his hand over the stubble on his head and looked away. With a slight shake of his head, his shoulders visibly dropped.

JT felt it clean to her toes. "Listen." She breathed out and wiped the back of her hand across her brow. "It's been a long night. We both need sleep. Tomorrow we can figure out what to do next."

"You sleep," he growled and pushed away from the wall. He opened the door.

"Where are you going?"

"For a jog."

"Dressed like Spiderman?"

He glanced down at what he had on and let out a long sigh, followed by a round of curses. Instead of turning back around and closing the door, he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

JT sank down on the bed. Her little revelation had destroyed him. She could see it in his eyes. And, in turn, it destroyed her. He'd trusted Donovan. Hell, he may have even trusted her. This was how they returned his trust?

She'd lost any chance at having Dan trust her now. She was so eager to take the op she failed to stop and think about how it would affect anyone else. Just as he said. Did she learn nothing from her screw up with Peck?

As much as she wanted to run after him, she knew he needed time alone to sort this out. She hoped he didn't hate her after this. She wouldn't blame him if he did.
She
hated her.

Straightening out on the bed, JT sighed and stared up at the ceiling. Kicking off her shoes, she peeled off the spandex. Her legs tingled back to life.

She didn't know how long she lay there before she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep. When she woke, she was curled into a little ball on her side. She blinked and almost cried out in surprise.

Dan was sitting there in the chair next to the bed, slumped over and snoring. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. When did he get back? And why was he sitting in the chair instead of sleeping in the other bed in the next room? Or next to her? The thought of him choosing an uncomfortable hotel chair over the comfort of her touch brought a pang to her heart.

He'd been watching her. Making sure she didn't take off again. Babysitting. She wanted to hate him, to run over there and slap him awake.

Instead, she stood and quietly made her way over to him. She couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd reacted. The way he'd looked at her. Utterly betrayed, that was how he looked. It hurt even now to think about it.

Kneeling down in front of him, she ran her fingers along his thighs. He didn't even stir. The guy was exhausted. She touched his cheek.

He blinked awake and, as he focused on her, thinned his lips. Okay, so he was still pissed. "What are you doing?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"I was sleeping."

"In the chair?"

"It appears that way."

"I'm sorry."

He sighed. "For what?"

"No more secrets, Dan. I couldn't stand to see you hurt like that again."

Looking away, he cleared his throat. "I was pissed, not hurt. There's a difference." Always the brave alpha-male.

She leaned on his knees and rested her chin on the arm of the chair. The only light in the room came from the weak lamp on the table next to the bed. She could see his eyes though, and they were still holding that cloud of emotion.

"Donovan asked me to monitor you, to make sure you didn't crack and go after Peck if he showed." He needed to know the whole story. At least then she might get a chance to earn back his trust.

His expression didn't change as he continued to study her, no doubt looking for the lie in her truth. He stared for several seconds, and JT held his accusing glare until it softened. Slightly. "And if I did? Were your orders to stop me?"

She swallowed and nodded, lowered her eyes. "
At any cost
."

"I see. Anything else I should know? Any other secrets? Maybe you have a few more knives to stick in my back?"

She met his eyes with a newfound determination. "Ask me anything you want, Dan. I won't lie to you. Not now. Not ever again."

His lips slowly curled into a grin and JT's heart lightened. It was the first time she'd seen him smile in hours. "Then that's all I need."

He pulled her up on her knees and sat forward, wrapping her with his strong legs, settling her between his thighs. When he brought his lips to hers, he lingered, savoring the moment. His kiss, feather light and so enticing JT's breath shuddered out, teased her. Her body demanded more, yet she waited for him, allowing the kiss to linger between them.

He then brought his hand up to the back of her neck and sank back in the chair, pulling her with him. He took control of the kiss, ravishing her mouth. The hunger and intensity made JT thankful she was already on her knees. They wobbled, as did the muscles in her thighs.